Vault-closure.



A. M. MYERS 6; WA. POISTBR.

VAULT CLOSURE. APPLICATION FILED 4P3- 28. 1908.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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A. M. MYERS 8; W. A. POISTER.

VAULT CLOSURE.

1 APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1908-.

939,922. Patented Ndv.9.1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ALLEN M. MYERS ANDWILLIAM A. POIS'I'ER, 0F GALION,

OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE GALION METALLIC VAULT COMPANY, OF GALION, OHIO.

VAULT-CLOSURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 28, 1908.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909. Serial No. 429,673. 3

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALLEN M. MYERS and lVILLIAM A. POISTER, citizens of the United States, residing at Galion, in the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vault-Closures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in closures for vaults, particularly burial vaults, and the invention has for its object, a durable and etficient construction of a water tight vault closure that may be easily applied and secured in position and so looked that access may be had to the interior of the vault after being closed only by the demolition of the vault or closure.

lVith these and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combination of the parts that We will hereinafter fully describe and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a face view of a vault closure constructed in accordance with our invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an inner face view of the closure; and, Figs. 4 and 5 are detail perspective views of the ratchet and pawl hereinafter specifically referred to.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates the closure proper which is preferably composed of plate steel, and 2 designates a stufiing box. which is secured to the closure or head 1, as clearly illustrated in the drawings. A pin 3 with square ends is mounted to turn within the stuffing box 2 and projects through the head 1 and a disk 4 is secured to said pin, at the rear face of the head or closure, a plurality of links 5 are pivotally secured at one end to the disk 1, and the other ends of said links are secured to preferably cast steel latch plates 6, the connection between said links and the disk and plates being preferably formed by 'tracted positions.

counter sunk bolts. In the present instance there are four of plates 6, but it is to be understood that any number may be employed.

The latch plates 6 are formed near their outer edges with slots 7, and screw bolts 8 are secured in the head 1 of the closure and are accommodated in the respective slots 7. The nuts on the bolts are so set that they will have little or no end motion and yet may slide freely. In addition to the slots 7, each of the plates 6 is formed at its inner end with a longitudinally extending slot 9 and pins 10 project inwardly from the head 1 and are received in the slots 9, to form guiding connections between the inner ends of the latch plates and the head. To limit the movement of the several links 5 and to prevent them from turning too far, one or more of the plates 6 is formed in its rear face with a nib or protuberance 6 designed to be engaged by the adjacent link.

The front face of each plate 6 is beveled at its outer edge as indicated at 11 and is designed to engage an angle iron rim 12 preferably riveted around the interior of the vault 13 at the end thereof, the ends of the iron being welded, and a gasket 14 is interposed between the rim 12 and the outer edge of the head 1, so as to effect a tight and waterproof joint between the parts when the latch plates 6 are moved outwardly. In order to effectually lock the closure in place after it has been applied and sealed by means of the latch plates, we provide a pawl 15 which is preferably formed of forged steel secured to the inner end of the pin 3 and provided at its outer end with a tooth 16 designed to snap over and engage the inclined tooth of a ratchet 17 secured to the inner face of one of the plates 6.

In the practical application of our improved closure the head 1 is inserted in the end of the vault up against the gasket or packing 1a with the latch plates 6 in re- A wrench or other tool is then applied to the outer end of the pin 3 so as to turn the same and efli'ect the turning of the disk 4 and the rocking of the links 5 to slide the latch plate 6 outwardly. This outward movement of the latch plates effects the engagement of their beveled ends 11 with the inner sides of the rim 12, so that the packing 14 is tightly pressed between the rim and the edge of the head and a firm and secure seal is obtained around the outer edge of the closure. The movement of the .pin 3 at the same time causes the pawl 15 to snap over the teeth of the segment 17 so as to effectually lock the sealed closure on the inside in such a manner that it can only be opened by demolishing the closure or the body proper of the vault. If it be desired to close the vault and not lock it, it is evident that a piece of thin sheet iron may be fitted over the ratchet segment 17 so as to prevent the pawl from catching.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A vault closure comprising a head, bolts secured to said head, latch plates mounted on the rear face of said head and each formed with a slot to receive the respective bolts, each latch plate being also formed at its inner end with a slot, guide pins secured to said head and received in the slots at the inner ends of the respective plates, an actuating pin mounted in said head, and an operative connection between said pin and said plates.

2. A vault closure comprising a head, an actuating pin mounted in said head, a disk secured to said pin at the rear face of the head, latch plates secured to the rear face of the head, and links pivotally connecting said disk with said plates, one of the plates being provided with a protuberance designed to be engaged by the adjacent link.

3. A vault closure, comprising a head, means for sealing said head in a vault, said means including an actuating pin mounted to turn in the head, a pawl secured to said pin at the rear face of the head, and a ratchet arranged for engagement by said pawl.

t. A vault closure, comprising a head, an actuating pin mounted to turn in said head, latch plates mounted on the rear face of the head in outwardly sliding connection therewith, one of said plat-es being provided on its rear face with a ratchet, and a pawl secured to said :pin at the rear face of the head and arranged to engage said ratchet.

In testimony whereof we afiiX our signatures in presence 'of two witnesses.

ALLEN M. MYERS. [n 8. WILLIAM A. POISTER. a 8.

\Vitnesses:

A. W. MONROE, L. M. LIGGETT. 

